Court continues detention of Zviad Tsetskhladze, alongside 7 others, due to accusations of violent actions during a protest.
Tbilisi City Court kept eight protest leaders, including Zviad Tsetskhladze, in custody over allegations of organizing group violence during protests near the parliament. Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili made this decision in today's hearing, where lawyer Elguja Avsajanishvili's remote attendance due to health reasons limited the examination of prosecution evidence.
No witnesses were questioned, and the court solely focused on the issue of continued detention. Prosecutor Vazha Todua argued that the risk of the accused fleeing or committing new crimes warranted their detention. However, defense lawyers requested their release or the use of bail, advocating for alternative measures like electronic monitoring.
Among the accused, Tsetskhladze, Vepkhia Kasradze, and Vasil Kadzelashvili are primarily charged with leading group violence, facing possible sentences of 6 to 9 years. The remaining five—Giorgi Gorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliev, Tornike Goshadze, and Nikoloz Javakhishvili—are accused of participation, which carries potential sentences of 4 to 6 years.
Pro-European protests in Georgia have been met with controversy, with critics highlighting concerns about politically motivated prosecutions and judicial impartiality. Notably, figures like Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Guram Mirtskhulava, Jano Archaia, Luka Jabua, Ruslan Sivakov, Revaz Kiknadze, and Giorgi Terashvili have been involved in these protests.
In today's hearing, the validity of the evidence and potential political bias were questionable, with civil society groups urging courts to scrutinize both. In addition, media-related cases involving journalists like Sergi Baramidze (cameraman for Mtavari Arkhi) and Aleksandre Keshelashvili (Publika) have drawn attention, albeit distinct from the criminal charges mentioned above.
Recent protests have drawn criticism from the EU, which condemned the "brutal crackdown" on dissent, including the arrests of figures like Nika Melia (protest leader). However, Melia's case appears separate from the Article 225 defendants mentioned herein. The controversy surrounding these cases underscores the importance of ensuring judicial impartiality and evidence-based decision making in Georgia.
- The prosecution continues to pursue charges against protest leaders, such as Zviad Tsetskhladze, in Tbilisi, with Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili overseeing the case.
- Prosecutor Vazha Todua presented arguments for the continued detention of the accused, citing concerns about flight risks and potential future crimes.
- Defense lawyers, however, called for the release of the accused or the use of alternative measures like electronic monitoring, arguing that it would be a more appropriate solution in this case.
- This ongoing trial, along with other cases involving politically charged prosecutions and questions about judicial impartiality, has sparked general-news and crime-and-justice debates in Georgia and drawn the attention of international organizations like the EU.
